Hope in the Darkness
by Kristen Verne
Summary: Xehanort has taken Sora as a vessel and the boy went after one of the princesses. However, he could not predict the impact this girl would have on him. (Based on Chachacharlieco's pic "Soranort Snuggles" Concept and the cover photo belong to her)


**Chachacharlieco did a pic called "Soranort Snuggles" (and that should be the cover pic for this story and it totally belongs to her).  
I just HAD to write something! **

**Hope in the Darkness**

She shouldn't have been that difficult.

Soranort leaned against a wall, panting, his eyelids drooping slightly. His battle against the princess wiped him out. She was much tougher than he expected. He knew the master wouldn't approve of him going after her alone.

The princess lay nearby, unconscious.

Soranort knew he ought to at least take her back to the World That Never Was, but he was so tired from the fight that he was unable to take her far through the corridors. He took her to the abandoned mansion in Twilight Town to rest.

Something in his heart wanted to let the princess go. He scooted over beside her and moved some of her short red hair out of her face.

Kairi.

She suddenly groaned, moving slightly.

Soranort stood up, moving away from her, making sure to turn his expression to one far more intimidating as the princess sat up.

"Huh…" She sat up, a hand to her head. Her bright eyes looked around, resting on him. "Sora?"

"Sora is gone, Princess. You know that."

Kairi looked at him. She remembered their fight. He ambushed her after her training with Lea. She fought hard, but was no match for him. His golden eyes glistened with a dark purpose, but they seemed so tired. Their battle must have affected him more than she thought.

She now began to look at her surroundings. She expected to find herself in a cell, at the mercy of Master Xehanort. Why didn't he take her there?

Sora.

She stood up. He didn't react or try and stop her. "Sora, I know you're there."

"You already tried that during our battle."

"So?" Kairi tensed, ready to fight if needed. "I assume something happened. You didn't bring me to Xehanort. Why?"

He chuckled slightly. "You are a fool, Princess. I only brought you here because our fight exhausted me. I've told you before. Sora is dead."

"I don't believe that."

"You should." Man, that hope in her eyes was so annoying. He was far too tired to keep up his intimidating mask, but his eyes immediately flashed with annoyance. "I don't know why you keep hoping. He's gone and you mean nothing to me. You are unimportant."

Kairi flinched. She knew it wasn't him. It wasn't her Sora talking. Still, his words stung. Biting her lip as tears threatened to spill from her eyes, she clenched her fists. Her feet carried her over to him. His tired eyes looked down at her… had he always been so tall?

"Show me." The princess chose her words carefully, hoping to spark some sort of emotion from him.

"What?"

"You said I was unimportant to you." Her voice choked in her throat. "Show me how unimportant."

Images flashed in Soranort's mind.

Sïax.

The great maw.

" _Is she that important to you?"_

" _Yeah, more than anything!"_

" _Show me how important…"_

His chest clenched. His heart pounded.

Turning himself away from her, he attempted to pull himself together.

Two arms wrapped around him, enveloping him in soft warmth. "Don't lie to me. I still care about you and I know you care about me."

Curse her.

Soranort's entire body began to shake as emotion began to build up inside him. His knees gave out.

"Sora!" Kairi came around in front of him. "Are you alrig-?" She gasped as he reached up, wrapping his arms around her.

"Kairi…"

It was him. Her Sora. She knew it. He was still in there. "Sora…" She buried her face in his silver hair. It was just as soft as she remembered. Her fingers moved through his hair as she felt his warm tears against her face.

Sora smiled as he listened to her heartbeat.

"Ugh!" A dark, cold pulse shot through his body. No! Soranort pulled back, hands clasping his head, a cloud of darkness pulsing around him. "N-no!"

"Sora!"

The boy screamed as he fell to his knees, the darkness worming itself inside of him as Xehanort tried to take back control. "K-Kairi… Kairi…" He tried to hold on to these feelings.

"I'm here!" She cupped his face in her hands, turning his gaze up to her. The pain in his eyes and the tears on his face broke her heart. "I'm still here, Sora."

He reached up, pulling her down to him, clutching at her like a lifeline. "D-don't leave me."

"I won't." She gently kissed his forehead, hoping to drive back the darkness. Her heart shattered as he groaned in pain. She couldn't help but cry herself.

"So, here you are."

Kairi looked up, holding Sora closer as she saw Xemnas and Young Xehanort. She blinked away the tears as she held him close. "I'm here, Sora… I won't let them hurt you." Slowly, she pulled away, trying to ignore how he tried to pull her back, not willing to let her go. She summoned her Keyblade, standing between the two vessels and Sora. "Leave him alone!"

Xemnas smirked. "Do you really think you have a chance against the two of us, Princess?"

"It doesn't matter!" She tensed. "I'll protect him until I die!"

Xemnas smirked, clearly amused. "Brave, but foolish. You have no chance." He warped over, grabbing her arm. She swung her Keyblade at him, only for him to grab her other arm and twist it behind her. "You cannot protect him."

Suddenly, Kairi felt another arm grab hers as Xemnas flew back. "Don't touch her!" Sora, the dark cloud still surrounding him, held her close. His body shook with pain as he held No Name between her and the other vessels.

"Sora…"

He turned his gaze on her, his eyes, full of pain, looked her over for injuries, but there was something else there. He looked, sad. "I'm sorry."

She had no time to realize a dark corridor had opened behind her. A moment later, he pulled her close, planting a kiss on her lips before pushing her into the corridor. "SORA!" His soft smile faded as darkness swallowed her.

When light finally graced her eyes once again, Kairi found herself back on the world where she and Lea spent their time training.

"Kairi!? Kairi!?"

Speaking of Lea… The pyro came into view, his face riddled with worry. The girl pushed herself to her feet. "O-over here."

"Kairi!" He ran over. "Are you alright!?"

"I'm alright…" She looked back at the ground where she'd woken up, and her mind wandered back to Sora. She could only hope he was safe.

Somewhere, out there in the darkness, golden eyes stared into the sky. Through the pain of his punishment, Soranort, Sora clung to the feelings in his heart and the hope that his princess would save him.

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